Olivia Chow makes history as Toronto’s first racialized mayor

Credit to Author: Ramya Ramanathan| Date: Thu, 29 Jun 2023 16:17:52 +0000

Canada’s biggest city has elected a mayor representative of its population. Olivia Chow’s victory is reflective of Toronto’s growing diversity. According to the 2021 census, 55 per cent of Torontonians are visible minorities and almost half (46 per cent) of the city’s population are immigrants.

A seasoned politician and the widow of former New Democratic Party leader Jack Layton, Chow becomes the first person of colour to serve as Toronto’s mayor, the first person born outside Canada to take on the position since the 1950s, and the third woman to be elected in the position (and the first woman to lead the city since its amalgamation).

Chow’s immigration journey echoes that of many immigrants. Chow shares her story in her candid memoir My Journey.

Born in Hong Kong, Chow came to Canada at the age of 13, with the family settling in the St. James Town neighbourhood in Toronto. But the transition was difficult. Her mother went from having a maid to being a maid. Despite his education, her father only found work as a taxi driver and occasional manual labourer, Frustrated and bitter, he lashed out at Olivia’s mother, and violence darkened their lives. He eventually suffered a mental breakdown. With no relatives or friends in Canada to help, Chow worked two part-time jobs to help support her family.

After graduating with a degree in fine art and philosophy, Olivia worked for a time as a sculptor. Then, driven by a desire to achieve social change, the artist became an activist, and she launched her political career.

Over the years, Chow has worked as a school board trustee, city councillor and local member of parliament, towards making people’s lives better.

Chow was honoured in 2012 as a Top 25 Canadian Immigrant. She urges new Canadians to be politically active.

“Find a party that best represents your values, learn the political process and how elections work, and get to know people in movements that are making changes both inside and outside the government,” she says.

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